brought to you by the letter "r"

So here we are at the end of the year and the nightly news is asking for votes on the fave picture/event of the last 12 months. I’d rather remember my fave children’s sermon (thank you, Doshia) that was brought to us by the letter "R." She began by talking about we’re Ready to start the last month on the calendar. Our parents are Rattled and there’s just never enough time to get it all done, and we’re thinking about gifts to buy and presents to Receive (and maybe Return). She mentioned New Year's Resolutions, of course, and then turned her attention, and those of the small listeners sitting at her feet, to R's that are Really Relevant. Such as Restoration of Relationships with family and friends, Renewal of long-term goals, and Rebirth of life-long values that have sadly, for one reason or another, gone lacking.

I was, as always, enthralled by her words and bet I (and the other adults in the congregation) got a lot more out of it than the kids. But at the conclusion, as the little ones trooped off to Children's Church, in view of Recent computer issues, one R she didn't mention was the foremost on my mind: Reboot.

What if we could Reboot our life? What if we could look back and not just do something differently but totally erase it from existence? A real "do-over." As I was preparing my lunch a few hours later that day, I Reviewed the morning. And Realized there's nothing in my life that I would Revoke completely. Yes, there are events in my past that still hurt, memories that give me pause, happenings that if I'm not careful will put me into panic mode with my head beneath the covers, but all in all the lessons have led me to this place, this time, this life. And while I may not exactly Rejoice in some, I am grateful for them all.

As my very best lifelong friend said, “I so totally agree with you. There are things that are still painful. There are things, the thought of which make me cringe and thank God that He was watching over me, or I wouldn't be here today. There are things that at the time I so desperately wanted to turn out differently from the way they did. But after all is said and done, I wouldn't change a single drop of Rain, for fear it would destroy the subsequent Rainbow.”